A Turning Point
by justathingiwrote
Summary: 3x15 Episode tag. Sharon stays behind to clean up a little. Andy helps (Ok, he doesn't help at ALL, but he's there.) Maybe there's dancing. FLUFFFFF! Merry Christmas to all & a very happy belated Birthday to intotheheadwinds over on tumblr.


The party hadn't been what she'd wanted or at least it hadn't been what she'd planned but over the last few years, Sharon realized, spending Christmas with her team at the station really had become somewhat of an accidental tradition. Maybe it hadn't been what she planned but she guessed it couldn't be that far from what she wanted after all. All she really wanted was to spend Christmas with the people closest to her. She was overwhelmed with joy as she surveyed the room filled with the people she had come to care for so deeply laughing and talking and eating and drinking. This really was her extended family and as she remembered that first awkward Christmas dinner she had spent with these people here at the office, she really couldn't believe how far they had come as a team. She loved them and they would do anything for her.

Case in point: this whole party. She knew Ricky hadn't pulled it off on his own and she was so filled with gratitude and warmth that they'd teamed up to do this for her. She suspected it was Andy and was about to say so before Emily and Rusty caught her eye in the hallway. It was an excuse, really. She knew that if she started to say anything at all, that she'd probably say _everything_ and now wasn't the time. Was it? She didn't know. And the right time for what exactly? If she was honest, she really wasn't sure what it was she _did_ want to say. No, best to leave it until she was a little more sure of herself.

The party didn't last long; Provenza and Patrice barely stayed long enough for a cup of egg nog and everybody really did have family obligations. So, they toasted and reminisced but most filtered out within the hour and the room that had just been filled with so much laughter and joy was now nearly silent. Sharon had sent the kids home ahead of her; she knew they were anxious to watch White Christmas together—it was a Christmas Eve tradition for them. They knew it by heart and would often begin texting quotes from the film back and forth starting in November. Yes, surely as soon as that first "_Where did you leave that? In your SNOOD?"_ text came through, it was officially the start of the holiday season for the Raydor kids. Once they had the 3-way group text going with their Mom, the quote war got a little intense and it all led up to the annual viewing, so she knew she had to let them go after having spent the better part of their Christmas Eve with her work friends. Besides, she had a few loose ends to tie up with the case. It would only take a few minutes and she wouldn't be able to enjoy Christmas if she knew it was all waiting for her when she got back.

She gathered up a few dishes and put them in the sink. She wasn't going to wash everything, but it was against her nature to leave things messy. She started to pick up discarded paper plates and napkins and headed for the trash, but was startled when she saw someone standing in the doorway out of the corner of her eye. She jumped a little and even took in a little gasp, but when she realized it was Andy leaning against the door frame, she let it out with a sort of giggle, even rolling her eyes at herself a little.

"Didn't mean to scare you. Thought you might want some help."

He had that grin on his face-the one she'd been noticing more and more lately when he looked at her. Recently, she thought it had become somewhat contagious, like a yawn. As soon as that grin spread across his face, she couldn't very well keep a very similar version off of her own. She must've found it cute, though she couldn't quite figure out when she started thinking Andy Flynn was cute and was fairly unnerved by it.

"Oh. Uhh, no. I wasn't going to clean up the whole thing now, I just wanted to sort of tidy a bit, so we didn't all come back to a mess. I—uh—I thought you'd gone home."

What was this? She was nervous? Since _when_? If she had to guess, she'd venture it was since the whole scene prior to The Nutcracker. Ever since that day, Andy was on her mind a disproportionate amount to what she would deem appropriate. And now they were in the office alone? She'd really been trying to _not_ be alone with him after she found out the whole world thought they were dating. At first she thought it was for the sake of appearances, but she soon realized that the reason she was doing it was because she couldn't be alone with him because she knew they needed to talk and she was terrified of that conversation.

"Nope. I wanted to sign off on the last couple of things before I went home. I don't see Nic til tomorrow morning anyways—she's spending Christmas Eve with her mother. "

He walked further into the room as he spoke and Sharon was desperately thinking of any possible way out of this. Her insides were somersaulting and what was this? Was she a little lightheaded? Oh Lord! She hadn't felt like this since she first met Jack. She had completely forgotten what romantic situations can do to a person! Was that what this was? A romantic situation? She knew a blush was creeping up her neck and instinctively rubbed at it a little, avoiding all eye contact and busying herself with the clean up.

"Alone on Christmas Eve, huh?" was all she could think of to say and as soon as it came out she realized it sounded a little dismissive. She should have invited him over. She knew that is what she would have done before the whole Nutcracker debacle, but now it seemed _so_ personal. She couldn't. She was facing the sink now, deciding after all to start washing the dishes, if only because it kept her from meeting his gaze. And he _was_ gazing at her; she was sure she could feel his stare burning a hole right through her.

"I'm not alone," he said matter-of-factly. She knew he was closer to her now by the sound of his voice but she stared at the sink quite intently, washing the dishes a good deal more thoroughly than strictly necessary. Andy was kind of getting a kick out of seeing her a little frazzled but at the same time he felt sorry that the easiness that had always been there between them had suddenly vanished. He reached over to the radio that was sat in the corner and fiddled with it a little, scrolling through static until a familiar Christmas tune rang through. He thought this would break the tension, but the sentiments of light-heartedness that Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas generally give off were having quite the opposite effect on Sharon. She was officially freaking out a little and the fact that she was freaking out _freaked her out._

"Sharon?" He wanted her to look at him so he didn't say anything else. She swallowed hard, persed her lips together and closed her eyes for a moment. She cleared her throat a little, stalling presumably before finally looking at him.

"Andy, I—"

He reached out his hand toward her and arched an eyebrow, which given the circumstance could only have been taken as an invitation to dance, which it was, incidentally. She hesitated, mouth agape in utter disbelief. He couldn't be serious. Here? In the break room? Now? She was in stocking feet for God's sake. He just stood there, waiting for a moment until he reached down and took her hand in his, pulling her gently toward him. Her eyes were on their hands and then they were locked with his.

"Come on, Sharon. It's not like we've never danced before."

Of course he had been referring to the wedding where they had indeed danced but this was different and they both knew it. Her nervousness faded a little and she suddenly felt safe in this embrace, her hand now on his shoulder and his on the small of her back as they began to sway. Neither of them said anything for a little while.

"Andy," her voice was quiet and decidedly less steady than she'd meant for it to be. "Did you do all this? The party and everything?"

"Nah. It was mostly Ricky. You've got some great kids Sharon-not a selfish bone between the three of them. Definitely their mother's children on that front"

She blushed at the compliment and broke their eye contact only to snuggle in a little closer to him. Her head was now resting on his chest, his chin resting lightly in the top of her hair. They danced like that for the remainder of the song, but were jarred when the slow, simple tune gave way to Jingle Bell Rock. They didn't let go of each other. Not yet. Sharon just lifted her head from his chest, and moved both hands to his shoulders, looking him squarely in the eye.

"Merry Christmas" she said.

He moved his hand over one of hers and pulled it back and kissed her palm gently. She closed her eyes as she took in this incredibly sweet and romantic gesture. When she opened them again they were met with his.

"Merry Christmas."

They both knew they needed to have a conversation about this palpable turning point in their relationship. But as it was, it had been remarkably perfect and neither wanted to ruin it. So their bodies parted but their hands remained entwined, only breaking for Sharon to slip on her boots. They walked hand in hand to their cars, neither willing to say anything. It wasn't an awkward silence but rather a tacit acknowledgement that anything they'd say in this moment would probably soil it and both were content to just not.

When they got to their cars, both were reluctant to break the contact, hands lingering as they moved away from each other. She thought she audibly winced when they actually let go, but it was probably only in her head-at least she'd hoped it was. As she opened her car door to get in she looked at Andy one last time.

"What are you doing New Year's Eve?"


End file.
